Three's A Crowd
by paragirl91
Summary: Ste gets jealous when Brendan makes an unlikely friend in Trevor and ends up spending more time with his new found drinking partner than his boyfriend.


**Not the best fic I've ever written, but after a twitter conversation with Amber a while ago, I wondered what it would be like if Brendan came back and came across Trevor, and how they would get on. **

**Just a quick one shot of a possible scenario: Ste gets jealous when Brendan makes an unlikely friend in Trevor and ends up spending more time with his new found drinking partner than his boyfriend.**

This was the third time now he'd heard the answer phone message:

'_This is Brendan Brady, leave a message.'_

'For fuck sake Brendan!' Ste cursed. 'Just answer your damn phone.'

This was becoming a regular occurance, Brendan staying late after work, Ste struggling to wait up for him until eventually giving in and letting his head hit the pillow.

Brendan had been out of prison for five months now, making his way straight back to Ste after being released due to good behaviour, agreeing to continue his counselling sessions back in Hollyoaks, and mainly down to the fact that the cctv from the club had mysteriously disappeared, along with the weapon that Brendan had claimed to kill his father with. Cheryl had devised a statement that claimed she had walked in to find her dad already dead, therefore when the police started to doubt Brendan's confession, the fact that there were no witnesses made it weak. Also, when Brendan finally broke down in one of his counselling sessions, admitting to what his father had done to him as a child, paired with the fact that Brendan had relayed the conversation between him and his father before the death, the police began to think that Seamus may have committed suicide, but tormented his son in to believing it was his fault, hence Brendan confessing, yet not being in the right state of mind to do so at the time.

On his return to Hollyoaks Steven was wary to begin with, although Brendan didn't blame him for feeling so, he was constantly racked with guilt at what he'd put the boy through.

Steven still welcomed him back with open arms though, filling the void that had existed within him until he felt complete again.

Brendan had a lot to adjust to, Steven's dad was now on the scene, along with an extended family to go with it, Brendan had never seen so many women in one room.

What he found really hard to deal with though was Steven's sudden confession late one night, that he'd briefly considered dating John Paul McQueen, the fair haired lad Brendan had picked up that night in Dublin, something he tried to permanently erase from memory. Steven swore that they'd only kissed, nothing more, much to Brendan's relief, however it still riled him to no end. He had to remind himself though that he'd left Steven to move on, that's what he'd told him, so he couldn't blame the guy for trying to do so. What he wasn't expecting Steven to tell him, was that Danny, Steven's dad who worked with John Paul at the school, was actually having an affair with the lad behind his wife's back. Brendan's head spun with all of this new found information, felt like he was in a bloody soap opera.

The club had been taken over while Brendan was away, part of him thought he'd never want to see the place again after what had last happened there, however on his return, being with Steven again made him realise how he wanted to put things right, go back to normality, which meant getting their life back to how it used to be. Those couple of months they briefly had together, before all the Kevin allegations, where they were actually genuinely happy, and Brendan felt content for the first time in his life. Getting back to normality meant getting his club back.

Fraser Black had been killed when one of his own dodgy dealings had gone terribly wrong. The papers had called it a hit and run, however, whether it was done with intent was still down to speculation. His daughter Grace had inherited full ownership of the club, but after what had happened to her dad, Grace had decided she wanted out on her past and was ready to settle down and live a quiet life (well, as quiet as she could manage) with her new fiancé Trevor.

Brendan had his accounts unfrozen and was able to offer Grace a sum for the club that she couldn't refuse. So this was how his life was now, living in a flat above Tony's restaurant that Ste helped run, whilst he owned the club again. Keeping it on the straight and narrow now, giving him and Steven a stable income. Brendan now had his second chance to provide Steven with that future that he truly deserved.

After buying back his club, Steven had come clean about the shit that Trevor had put him through, back when he was in a bad place after Brendan had gone, resorting to drug dealing to earn extra cash. Brendan was completely horrified, thought Steven would be safer without him, when in actual fact, he'd initially taken a downward spiral. Brendan vowed never to leave him again.

The first thing he did was to ring Trevor, acting as though he wanted some kind of business meeting. They arranged to meet at the club before opening, Brendan swirling the whiskey in his glass before Trevor's arrival, trying to keep his cool before he ended up turning in to the hulk as soon as Trevor bulked through the door. He was a sturdy guy, Brendan hadn't failed to notice, but he wasn't scared of him. There were much worse men Brendan had witnessed in prison, and at the end of the day, he'd been witness to his father, the worst of them all. Now that he was gone, Brendan felt untouchable.

'Alright Brady?' Trevor called as he walked through the door, that smirking smile of his joining him.

'Beer, spirits? What tickles your fancy tonight?'

Brendan put on his best hosting skills from where he stood behind the bar, knuckles clenched tightly hidden from view.

'A pint would be great ta!'

'My pleasure.' Brendan tried his hardest not to bare his teeth.

'So? What did you wanna discuss?' Trevor asked has he leant over the bar to take the pint Brendan was offering.

With the hand that Brendan wasn't holding Trevor's pint with, he rapidly grabbed the bloke by the collar of his shirt, producing a grunt of surprise from the thug.

Brendan held him still by the scruff of his neck, menacingly speaking in to his ear, 'I hear you're rather acquainted with my Steven.'

It was more of a statement than a question.

Trevor tried his best not to look intimidated.

'Ahh…Stevie boy! How is the young man?'

'He's good now that I'm back…..ye see, when I'm around, no one messes with him. Ye got that? Good! Good, I'm glad we had this little chat.'

Brendan let go of Trevor then, smoothed down his own shirt and signalled for Trevor to leave.

'You know, I admire you Brendan. I've done my time inside as well, which I'm sure doesn't surprise you, and well….we both know that a man doesn't come out of there unscathed. But it looks like Stevie boy really does have his knight in shining armour. Would you go back inside for him Brendan….would you?'

'Let's make this clear Trevor' Brendan spat the name as though it was a bad taste in his mouth, 'you ever lay a finger on Steven again, let's just say that Grace will be attending a funeral instead of a wedding.'

Trevor smirked as he began to leave.

'You know what Brendan…I think you and me have a lot more in common than we realise.'

Brendan stormed in to his office, slamming the door shut.

As time went on, it appeared that Trevor was right. Brendan had found that they'd once mixed in the same circles. Never crossing paths of course, but Trevor and his lot were another black list of Danny Houston's, Brendan doing them a massive favour that he wasn't even aware of.

Slowly their snide remarks to one another dissolved in to respect. Brendan wasn't one for the dodgy dealings any more, he had a future to think about, and the same went for Trevor. He'd come too close to losing everything, and now that Fraser was dead, he could control his own life.

Brendan had decided to hire Trevor as a bodyguard for the club, it was a respected job, but Brendan wasn't opposed to turning a blind eye if any of the punters deserved to be roughed up a bit more than usual.

Somehow Brendan had gained a friend. He wasn't used to this since Foxy, and look how that turned out.

It became a regular thing now, both staying after closing. Drinking until the bottle was drained. Brendan knew that Steven wasn't happy about it, but sometimes he needed that different type of company. The company that had witnessed the same horrors, felt the same adrenaline rush, and didn't judge. Steven had spent some time at young offenders yeah, but that really wasn't a patch on Brendan's prison stints. He knew that Steven wanted to understand what it was like, but understandably the boy couldn't. Brendan occasionally needed that company who was on the same wavelength.

'You remembered I exist than did ya?'

Steven had waited up for him this time. Rising from his curled up position on the sofa, eyes dark from lack of sleep. Brendan really didn't want an argument.

'Every bloke goes drinking with the lads Steven.'

'Yeah, like once a fortnight. This is becomin nearly every night now Brendan. We haven't even been back together that long and it already feels like I'm losin ya again!'

Brendan sighed in defeat has he hung his jacket up.

He didn't want him and Steven being in one of those clingy relationships, but on the other hand, he didn't want Steven to feel unwanted. Jeez! He could hardly breathe without Steven, his whole existence depended on him.

'I'm sorry.'

Steven just stood there, arms folded, lips pouted as Brendan closed the space between them, trying to get a response from him.

'Why don't you wanna have a drink with _me_?' He sulked.

'I do it's just…..' Brendan ran a hand through his hair while Steven looked up at him expectantly.

'Trevor's been in prison too…..he gets me. Some times I just need that understanding, ya know.'

'Oh and I don't get ya?'

'That's not what I meant, it's just…..different.'

'Don't worry!'

Steven stormed off towards the bedroom as Brendan tried to call after him.

'You're my boyfriend Steven, you have to put up with me enough as it is. I don't wanna bother you with talks of the past. I don't wanna involve you in memories of that world.'

'Yeah, exactly Brendan' Steven shouted as he pulled off his t shirt, 'I'm you're boyfriend! So you should be able to talk to me about anythin!'

'But I do!'

'How can ya when I hardly even see you anymore?'

'It's not my fault we work opposite shifts.'

'But we always did Brendan, and it was never a problem before.'

Steven had got himself in to bed now, Brendan wasn't even sure where this argument was going anymore. Was he even allowed to sleep in the bed tonight? He sat down on top of the covers anyway.

'Ok, look….I'll finish early tomorrow night yeah? We can do whatever you want, stay in, get a takeaway, or I'll take ye out, whatever you want Steven.'

'I just want _you_!' Steven pouted again like a child, resting his hand on Brendan's shoulder.

Brendan couldn't resist leaning forward and cupping his chin, making sure him and Steven were eye to eye when he next spoke.

'You've always got me Steven. Always have and always will.' He continued holding his face until a slight smile seemed to turn up the corners of Steven's mouth.

'Well prove it then' Steven whispered as he pulled Brendan down on top of him, closing the gap between their lips.

The last of the bar staff had just left, Trevor was in the toilet, which left Brendan alone to close down the office computer for the night.

Leaning back into the plush leather chair, the familiar sound of footsteps could be heard on the stairs. Brendan smiled as Steven bounced in to the office, eager to spend some time together.

Without even saying a word, Brendan beckoned his boy over who climbed in to his lap and attached their lips.

'Brendan I…..' Trevor had come to the door waving around a bottle of vodka, clearly looking for a drinking partner until he'd realised that Brendan was otherwise occupied.

Steven pulled away and blushed at being walked in on.

'I have other plans tonight Trevor.' Brendan stated matter of fact.

'No worries boss.' Trevor winked and instantly left the two alone again. As he grabbed his coat to go home, he made sure to text Grace, telling her to keep the bed warm for him.


End file.
